Valentine's Day at the Flower Shop
by butterfly collective
Summary: Nearly two months after "Last Day New Beginning", Matt and C.J. go undercover to flush out an illicit jewel operation only to bump into a few obstacles in the way.  Just borrowing some characters for fun.
1. Chapter 1

**Six Weeks after _Last Day New Beginning_…**

* * *

><p>She saw the flowers as she walked off the elevator. Red roses surrounded by baby's breath woven into a beautiful bouquet. The receptionist wore a wide smile as she handed C.J. the paperwork.<p>

"Gorgeous flowers….Rodrigo?"

Chris nodded and leaned back in her chair.

"Isn't he something?"

C.J. listened to the contentment in her friend's voice intertwined with a sense of near disbelief that comes from finding someone special and not quite trusting that it's real. Chris had just weathered a breakup with a man she'd been engaged to for two years and she'd shied from the dating scene until she met Rodrigo at a concert two months ago. The guy was great looking, nice and clearly romantic to boot.

"He seems like a great guy," she said, "So where's he taking you tonight?"

Chris' smile widened her eyes once again on her flowers.

"Dinner and dancing…I already told Murray I won't be working late tonight."

C.J. rubbed her forehead remembering that the corporate president had been holed up one floor below them working diligently on the acquisition of yet another electronics firm for the company's information technology division. An area that they'd been expanding in during the past couple of years. Murray had been all excited, and out of breath when presenting the PowerPoint on this latest company.

"So what about you C.J…you doing anything special tonight…?"

C.J. just smiled as she went to pour herself a cup of much needed coffee.

"No…I think I'll stay home and kick back with a good book…"

Chris frowned.

"Really is that the best you can do? Look I know it's been six months since you broke it off with Nathan but you should be out mingling…and meeting guys again."

C.J. paused, sipping her coffee thoughtfully. Nathan had lasted much less than six months, and had been one of the security guards at Matt's aborted wedding to Elizabeth nine months ago. When she thought that Matt and Elizabeth were going to give the wedding another thought by eloping to Vegas, she accepted his offer for some drinks. Not that he hadn't been a fun guy to be with but she didn't see any future in it and suddenly…she wanted to see the future in a man's eyes sitting across from her at a table.

Matt shared that in common with her actually, after his near death experience while flying back to L.A. on last New Year's Eve.

"I'm just so busy…with all the court work I've been doing while Houston and Roy are out in the field and now Murray wants me to do legal on this merger."

Chris shook her head.

"Oh tell him to stuff it…you've got so much on your plate C.J. you need to go out and have some fun."

C.J. put her hand on her hip.

"Plenty of time for that after I'm done with this latest caseload…then I think I'm going to take a week off and go to Hawaii."

That news seemed to surprise Chris.

"What…when did you decide this?"

C.J. sighed.

"Last week when I realized I can't continue to burn the candle on both ends," she said, "I need to recharge my batteries."

"Hawaii will definitely do that," Chris said, "Sun, beaches, great food and plenty of hot guys."

"I just have been doing a lot of thinking," C.J. said, "and maybe it's time to make changes in my life."

Chris nodded.

"Okay that's great C.J. but what about today…it's Valentine's Day after all."

Not that she wanted to be reminded of that but not for the reasons that Chris might think. See, she and Matt had spent the last Valentine's Day hunting down a psychotic serial killer who timed his murders on the legend of St. Valentine…then the year before that. Oh yeah, they had been staking out a flower shop which had been threatened to be blown up to kingdom come by a guy signing himself only, Cupid. It turned out that his ex-girlfriend had received flowers from there when she'd been his current girlfriend some years ago and well, some people bore long grudges.

Then…oh she just shook her head at that point. Never mind.

Chris just smiled like a woman totally in love after a while waiting for it.

"Just have yourself a good time," she said, "Because we will."

C.J. just smiled at her friend's festive spirit very happy for her happiness because Chris had always been unlucky at love unlike her cousin Pam who had been swept off her feet while still working at Houston Enterprises. All of a sudden, goodbye L.A. hello Paris…London and Zurich where she and her investment banker were holed up in a chalet.

But while packing her home away, Pam had mentioned that her cousin had been looking for work and the rest was history.

Then when she reached her office, her phone rang and she forgot about everything else for a while.

* * *

><p>Matt and Roy sat in the convertible across the street from the flower shop. They weren't in one of Matt's favorite cars in his impressive fleet but it would do in a pinch and they had just gotten this case the previous night.<p>

Roy picked up the binoculars and scoped the store which had people milling in and out probably buying flower arrangements and other gifts at the last minute.

"You'd think they would have placed their orders yesterday," Roy said, "but then the way the world has changed since back in the day…"

Matt knew that one of his uncle's sagely stories of how true love conquered all except in the world of espionage would soon follow.

"You'd think…but then a lot's changed…Faster cars, boats, airplanes."

Roy sighed.

"Faster women…and men…makes you wonder where the romance is these days."

Matt smiled and watched the store. He knew his uncle had nothing to worry about. He'd had his share of romances before falling in love and settling down into a great marriage with his Aunt Flo. After she'd passed, his uncle had thrown himself into his work and then his ranching business until he met up with Matt when he'd been on the run. Now in L.A. he worked cases like this with his nephew and less than two months ago had met an art dealer named Shirley at Clover's bodacious New Year's Eve Party. The gala where…a few memorable things had happened, things a guy like himself wouldn't ever let himself forget.

"So what are you doing tonight?"

Roy smiled, putting the binoculars down.

"Shirley and I will be eating at that new place, the Priory and then heading out to a concert at the Bowl."

Matt picked up the binoculars to take a look at their mark.

"Sounds good…I'm thinking of finishing up some paperwork and then heading home to catch the ball game."

Roy's brows rose.

"On Valentine's Day, I would have thought you'd had plans."

Matt focused his eyes on the building where a man idled outside of it.

"I've been working pretty hard lately and a night to unwind sounds like what I need."

Roy shrugged.

"Nothing wrong with that of course…."

Matt smiled and watched the man look around a bit before heading inside the flower shop.

"You sure they're using this place to smuggle in diamonds," he said, "It's been written up in all the best magazines."

Roy sighed.

"That makes it the perfect cover for jewelry smuggling," he said, "The shipments would be hiding in plain sight."

Matt nodded, knowing his uncle could very well be right. He had great instincts honed from his years in covert operations for a shadowy organization simply named the Company. Still, it looked like a normal business day for the shop.

"You know surveillance might not uncover anything," Roy said, "We might have to take an even more clandestine approach."

Matt arched his brows.

"You mean…"

"Yes, send some operatives in to do an undercover sting."

Matt thought that might just worked. A part of him nagged at him, wondering if this is the point where he should give Hoyt a ring and tell him what was up and what they had in mind. But…no he and his uncle had handled other operations like this one.

"Okay let's head back to the office and get it started with…so what cover did you have in mind?"

Roy smiled broadly.

"Let's keep this nice and simple okay. What we need is a couple to go into that place to go buy flowers for Valentines and then maybe then drop a line on where to make the holiday perfect by shopping for an engagement ring."

Matt digested that.

"Okay I'll see if C.J.'s available," he said, "though Murray's kept awfully busy with this merger."

Roy settled back into his seat.

"That'd be perfect…think the two of you could pull it off?"

Matt just threw his uncle one of his looks.

"Sure we can…and C.J.'s probably looking for an excuse to get out of the office about now."

He started up the car and they headed on down the street to get back to the office.

"Murray's got them all working hard, day and night until this deal goes through."

Matt rubbed his forehead at a traffic light. The strip was heavily packed with vehicles as it would be most of the day. The day was unseasonably warm but the weather forecaster had warned of some rain later in the evening.

"Yeah and I might just have to take C.J. away from him," he said, "I miss working with her in the field but ever since Elizabeth…"

Roy just gave him that glance that told him he didn't need to finish that thought. Matt had buried himself in his work with the investigative firm but he'd also resumed taking on some more of the responsibilities of his corporation now turned charitable foundation. So had C.J. but mostly because he needed her there but he had thought about asking her to work more often with him and then New Year's Eve had come along…

"Uncle Roy…I've been thinking…."

"About what nephew…?"

Matt turned the vehicle into Wilshire to head to Century City.

"I've been thinking of taking some time off…a week or two and going on vacation."

Time seemed to have shut down inside the car even as the scenery flew by around them. Matt knew what he said to his uncle then had surprised him into silence. But he meant what he said, he'd turned into a real workaholic and it was catching up to him. Then there were other considerations, he thought with a smile.

Finally his uncle spoke, his extensive experience with all kinds of surprises many of which were much more lethal than this one kicking into gear.

"Sounds like a great idea. You've been working very hard after all. Where would you think of going?"

Matt paused.

"Someplace nice and warm…maybe Hawaii."

Roy nodded.

"Great place to relax, forget about the office and maybe meet someone."

Matt's hand gripped the steering wheel.

"I'm actually thinking of just renting a bungalow near the rain forest and doing some exploring," he said, "maybe deep sea fishing too."

Roy nodded again.

"Great…it's the next turn up ahead."

Matt's eyes blinked and he turned off on the street leading to the office complex. He definitely needed to get a way for a while, maybe when some of these cases had wrapped up. Yes, that would be just perfect but for now he had work to do…including Operation: Flower Shop.

* * *

><p>Chris sipped her mocha as she listened to Pam on the phone. Her cousin was calling from New York City where she and her husband were there while he attended a World Bank conference at the United Nations. They were attending a play on Broadway and then having a late night dinner and dessert at Serendipity's afterward. Sounded like a plan to Chris, and she was excited about meeting up with Rodrigo later on.<p>

"So has he popped the question yet?"

Chris sighed.

"No…we've only been going out a few months but they've been the best ones."

The line crackled and Chris heard activity in the background so Pam must be out and about somewhere.

"That's so great. I can't wait to meet him," she said, "We'll be heading back to our chalet after this conference but we'll be flying back to the States in a couple of months and we'll be sure to put L.A. on the list."

"That'd be great if you can fit it in your hectic schedule."

"Sure thing…I've been doing this art thing and I might have some sculptures ready to show to some of the galleries out there."

Chris heard the joy in her cousin's voice and knew that while Pam had enjoyed being one of Matt's executive secretaries, it hadn't been in her blood like her art.

"So what about the boss," Pam asked, "Word is he's been lying low since that wedding fiasco."

Chris sighed.

"Word is right. I'd be more concerned but Matt actually seems very happy…seems to have shrugged off the whole engagement and then since that near death experience."

"Oh yeah…when his plane had to make an emergency landing," Pam said, "I heard about that on the news but when I found out it was him…"

"It was quite scary but he jumped out of the plane, came to the office and then headed off to Clover's party without blinking an eye."

"Well that's Matt for you…though I never got used to it," Pam said, "He'd scare me sometimes like the time he got this phone call, then grabbed his granddaddy's old shotgun and left the office with it."

Chris had heard this story and others from her cousin while she'd still been working for Houston Enterprises.

"Oh yeah…when C.J. got kidnapped by that psychotic killer who swore revenge on Matt," she said, "the one who couldn't die at least not until he jumped out of a 14th story building."

"I lived through that and there were other times…and C.J. was the same way about him," Pam said, "One time when he was accused of murdering a jockey, she helped him go underground."

Chris remembered hearing that story too. Not the only time that Matt had been accused of a murder he didn't commit.

"Well does that surprise you," she said, "Another time he was on the run, she got shot and wound up fighting with him when he wanted to take her to the hospital. When she woke up from surgery, her first words were to tell him to go back in some building to get some evidence."

Only the way the story went, Matt had been long gone and hadn't told anyone where he was going, once he'd seen the toll his quest had taken on someone he loved so much.

Pam paused.

"You know what I never understood about Matt and C.J. is that if they're such great friends and obviously would do anything for each other, why they don't…"

Chris sighed.

"I know…I mean everyone's always asking me that and it's getting old," she said, "They might be the perfect matchup and just don't know it or are acting too stupid to know it."

"Chris!"

"No I mean it Pam, I have to sit there every day and watch it play out. And it's been even worse since Clover's party. You know I thought that her being his old friend, she'd make a play for him."

Pam chuckled.

"Oh yeah I remember her…she was a guest at that bogus party that Murray had us set up in the suite. Only no one knew about it except some businessman out to kill all the guests. The body count got a bit high on that one and the office was just destroyed when we all returned to work the next day."

Chris sighed again.

"Seriously though, maybe they need a little help figuring it all out."

Pam appeared to think about it.

"I don't know…it might take a lot. Seriously I love them both but I've never seen two such highly educated but utterly clueless people in my life."

C.J. walked out of her office after filing away another document and declaring it to be the last one before making herself another cappuccino. Not that she liked them much but Murray had insisted on ordering some fancy coffee machine and she had decided since they were stuck with the eyesore, might as well put it to good use.

She poured herself some of the frothy drink and then took it into the main lobby where Chris was sitting talking on the phone.

"Yeah it might come to using some rope and just tying them up together…"

Then Chris looked up and saw C.J. there and reacted.

"Look Pam, I'll get back to you later and you two have a great holiday okay?"

She then hung up and smiled at C.J.

"So how's the workload?"

C.J. sipped her coffee.

"Good…how's your cousin doing?"

Chris sorted some papers on her desk.

"Great…she and her husband are in New York at a conference but hitting the town tonight."

C.J. nodded, reaching for some more folders in her "in" box to work on…later. Murray would just have to understand but she was thinking about hitting lunch at the deli down the street and then maybe going to her favorite spa for a little pampering. Nothing hit the spot like an aromatherapy soak followed by a massage…especially after a couple rounds of kick boxing this morning with her sparring partner before even arriving at work.

"So you sure you're going to have a quiet evening?"

C.J. smiled back at her from gazing at her folders.

"Yeah…there's this book I've been meaning to finish but I've never had the time to start it."

Chris pursed her lips.

"Anything hot…?"

C.J. looked bemused.

"No…actually it's about some hot springs in Hawaii…and some ancient ruins, I might go check them out when I'm there."

"So you're really serious about taking off?"

C.J. sat down in a chair opposite from Chris.

"Yes I am…Like I said, I need to get away and do some thinking."

Chris looked at her seriously all of a sudden. Something in the way she said it…

"You're not taking off are you," she said, "You're not leaving your job."

C.J. looked at her in surprise.

"No…what gave you that idea," she said, "but I'm thinking of maybe cutting my hours back and doing some volunteering at the Legal Aid Clinic that Maureen got started."

Maureen Flanders being one of her sorority sisters back in college who had been this crack attorney even a junior partner at one of the city's hottest firms until she decided that wasn't what she wanted so she sold her partnership shares and opened up a legal clinic to help those without enough money to hire private attorneys from everything ranging from family law to probate and taxes.

"That's great…talked about it to Matt yet?"

C.J. looked away for a moment and her cheeks flushed with a trace of color.

"Yeah we've been talking about the future," she said, "He thinks the Hawaii trip is a great plan."

The elevator doors opened then and out walked Matt and Roy and the two women looked at them.

"Hey you're here…"

C.J.'s mouth curved into a smile as she gazed at Matt.

"Of course, where did you think I would be," she said, "only I'm done for the day with the merger work."

He tilted his head.

"That's good…because I'm going to need to borrow you for a couple of hours."

Her eye brows arched.

"Oh…what for…?"

Matt looked at Roy.

"I'm going to need you for a bit of undercover work."

She nodded.

"Of course…"

"Don't you even want to hear what we've got planned?"

She rubbed her arms looking back at him.

"Something simple right…something that will be done by the end of the day?"

He nodded.

"Sure…nice and simple," he said, "Roy and I suspect that the flower shop we've been staking out is a cover for a jewelry smuggling ring only surveillance isn't telling us much so…"

C.J. reached for her coffee mug.

"So you need to go in right…with a cover…something that will get them to lower their guard and give us what we need."

"Something like that…listen I was thinking that if we went in as a couple looking for engagement rings…"

She folded her arms.

"In a flower shop…where they normally sell them right?"

He sighed.

"Well we could start off shopping for some flowers…and then work our way up."

She pursed her lips considering whether that might work, she guessed it depended on the IQ levels of the smugglers if that's what was going on in that shop.

"That might do it…but we're going to have to be very convincing."

He coughed as he fidgeted with his collar.

"Okay…I think we can both handle it."

Her eyes sparkled as she winked at him.

"Oh you can count on that cowboy," she said, "We'd better start planning this gentleman. We don't have much time."

They both followed her into her office.

* * *

><p>About an hour later, C.J. changed into a rather demure woolen dress that clung to her curves and then slipped on some nylons. She had insisted on changing her clothes even though Matt thought she looked just fine in her navy blue three-piece business suit. No, she told him that if a couple were going to go engagement ring shopping, they needed to dress for it. Then she told him that he needed to get out of his surveillance attire and grab one of his spare suits located in his closet downstairs.<p>

She had slipped on her black camisole after she'd gotten out of the shower and worked on her hair a bit. It dried naturally curly and she wanted that look for the job. Mentally, she ran the plan over and over in her head like she always did, anticipating any twist and turn that they might encounter when they actually put into operation.

Roy would be outside listening on the wire that she'd be wearing into the jewelry store with Hoyt on speed dial if necessary.

Suddenly as she slipped on her heels, she saw Matt leave the bedroom dressed in one of his more casual business suits but it would do just fine. He stopped to check out her outfit, blinking his eyes.

"You look…"

She smiled at him as she stood up fully costumed.

"Yes Houston?"

"Perfect."

"Thanks and you look…great. Sure you don't want to wear the wire?"

He just shook his head and then went they both walked up the stairs to the main office to get this job started.

* * *

><p>The moment they stepped foot in the flower shop, nothing went according to plan. Now, they both had learned to expect the unexpected, anticipate it even if they couldn't embrace it. To go with the flow, be ready to take the most perfect plan and change it to fit the realities of the assignment. Both of them had run through every possible scenario in their heads in their meeting and on the drive over to the shop.<p>

But they hadn't covered everything. They knew that the moment they stepped over the threshold and found themselves in the exotic floral section.

C.J.'s eyes widened.

"Is that…it looks like..."

Matt sighed.

"Yes that's definitely Myron…I didn't even know he was in town."

They both just looked at each other and slipped out of that room that felt humid against their skin, the sounds of what sounded like waterfalls accentuating the floral exhibits.

"What if he sees us Houston?"

"We'll deal with that if it happens," he said, "Maybe he's just here looking."

The clerk at the counter, a young man looked up at them.

"Hello…welcome to Flowery Delights…a species for every taste….would you like a tour?"

Matt glanced at C.J. who appeared to be looking around the impressive layout of the shop that clearly looked larger inside than it had appeared outside.

"What about you miss?"

C.J. smiled and slipped a hand in Matt's.

"We're looking for something very special for Valentine's Day," she said, "Something very romantic."

The man smiled at them.

"I'm Hans and I'm sure we can find you whatever you desire here," he said, "We were bought out by an overseas business interest but we still provide high quality and customary service."

C.J.'s brow furrowed.

"You mean that Stu doesn't own this place," she said, "He's owned it for decades since he came from the Midwest."

Hans shrugged.

"He retired about a year ago and some rich socialite who probably needed something meaningful in her life…or a tax write off picked up the shop at auction."

C.J. squeezed Matt's hand.

"It looks like it hasn't changed that much," she said, "Still as beautiful as I remember."

Hans nodded but he seemed a bit antsy they noticed. But he covered himself with a smile.

"So how long have you two been together?"

C.J. glanced at the man beside her before she answered.

"Just a few months…."

"But we've known each other forever," Matt said, "or at least it seems that way."

C.J. nodded at Hans.

"We've been friends forever but more than that just recently but when I look at him…"

She bit her lip losing track of her words for a moment and she felt Matt squeeze her hand back.

"I see the man I want to spend the rest of my life with," she said, "the one who I've been waiting for my whole life."

Hans rubbed his hands together.

"That sounds so….romantic. We've got many floral arrangements all of which are special and romantic."

Matt rubbed his jaw thoughtfully.

"We know that…but we were thinking of something even more special…more permanent than flowers to celebrate our relationship."

Han's brows lifted.

"Like what? We do offer flowers and bulbs, an assortment of seed packets for planting flowers and other plants that'll last a lot longer with proper care of course."

Matt digested that but he had his script prepared already.

"Actually…I've already asked this lovely lady to marry me and now we're shopping around…"

Hans' face lit up.

"Ah yes, for engagement rings but we don't sell jewelry, we're a flower shop."

Matt appeared confused, rubbing his jaw line with a finger. C.J. just let go of his hand and rubbed his back with her hand as if to reassure him.

"Honey…you heard what he said," she said, "I guess what Lulu told you was wrong. They don't sell engagement rings here."

Disappointment lined Matt's face.

"Damn I thought for sure she knew what she was talking about," he said, "After all, she'd been working for Clover for years."

Hans' face lit up even more and he leaned closer.

"You know Clover?"

Matt smiled widely.

"Know her…why she and I go way back to her grand prix racing days in Monte Carlos and other places."

Hans nodded.

"Clover was a good friend of Stu's and used to rely on him to provide the floral arrangements for all her parties…as well as some of her more private celebrations."

C.J. looked over at Matt whose face flushed ever so slightly. Well of course, he and Clover…but it hadn't lasted very long. Even though she'd come onto him twice in the past two years including at her New Year's Eve party he hadn't bit, she thought smiling.

Hans looked around the flower shop and then leaned closer to them, dropping his voice down to a whisper.

"Maybe I can help you and the lady find something special."

C.J.'s eyes lit up immediately.

"Oh please do…unless it's too much trouble…."

Hans shook his head.

"No…not at all…we keep them in a vault in the back of the store," he said, "I'll just run it past my boss. She needs to improve the more…special transactions."

C.J. shot Matt a look right then and they both knew they were thinking the same thing. That what Hans might be showing them might be the contraband jewelry that was rumored to be sold by the shop.

After Hans left, Matt just shook his head.

"I know Stu never would have approved of dealing in stolen goods," he said, "If that's what they're doing."

C.J. sighed, stroking Matt's arm.

"I know but I do know that if he knew that anything illegal were going on in the shop he built from the ground up, he'd want the police to put a stop to it."

Matt watched the hallway where Hans had disappeared.

"I think we should proceed with the plan," he said, "If it goes wrong, then Roy will know when to bring Hoyt and his men in to shut down this operation."

"Good…I don't want anything to happen to you…not on this of all days."

She knew that they both didn't have the best of histories when it came to past Valentine's Day but maybe this one might wind up different? She slipped her arms around his waist and brushed her mouth against his own, softly before she just looked up at him.

"What's that for," he asked.

She traced with a finger where her lips had just been.

"Come on Houston, you know we have a role to play here."

"Yeah but…"

Suddenly they both heard Hans return to the room with a black lock box, medium sized and with a combination lock on it. He smiled as he placed it on the counter.

"Top of the line gems used in these rings," he said, "Most of them cut only by the best in the business."

Matt nodded approvingly.

"Only the best for my…fiancée here…and the most expensive."

C.J. shot Matt a sudden look and then rolled her eyes a bit for effect.

"Now sweetheart, you know we need to save some change to buy that new house in Bel Air as soon as we announce our engagement."

"Yes but I want to show the world how much I love you."

C.J. blushed.

"How sweet…okay let's see what this nice man has to show us."

They spent the next thirty minutes looking at some of the most impressively cut gems, mostly diamonds but some of which were surrounded with other gems like rubies, emeralds and blue sapphires.

"I like the emeralds."

No surprise there, as it had always been her favorite gem. The ring itself looked extraordinary, like it had been custom made and that's what Matt and C.J. suspected…that it had been made for someone else and then stolen to be sold on the black market. The couple probably didn't try too hard to find it since most likely the ring had been insured. But hopefully at least a police report had been filled out somewhere, with any photo of it on file that they could track down and use for comparison.

"I'll…we'll take it," Matt said finally, slipping his arm around C.J.'s waist.

She placed a hand on her chest and beamed up at him.

"Oh it's just perfect…how long until we can pick it up?"

Hans coughed as he closed up the box.

"Not long at all…I'll just need the boss to sign off on it and you can take it with you."

Matt and C.J. looked at each other and then smiled at Hans.

"Let's do that then," Matt said, "Can't wait to see it on the lady's finger know what I mean?"

Hans just nodded curtly and left them alone. C.J. looked up at Matt.

"It is beautiful…but it was made for someone else by someone who loved her," she said, "I can see that in the intricate design, how the stones were chosen and cut just so."

Matt smiled at her, stroking a stand of hair off of her face.

"I know…maybe we can track the real owners down…okay?"

She nodded happily.

"Yeah…hopefully we can return it," she said, "As soon as we hand it over to the police, then maybe Hoyt can move in on the store for fencing a stolen property."

Matt rubbed his jaw.

"Yeah we'll do that okay," he said, "We should be out of here shortly and then we'll head back to the office."

"Yeah…and still have plenty of Valentine's Day left to make it a good one for a change."

He looked at her intently then.

"Sounds like a plan…"

But then they heard two people walk into the room, Hans and his boss to approve the sale. Only when they turned around, they realized their undercover plan had just hit a huge hurdle.

Matt's eyes widened as he saw the familiar woman standing there in front of him.

"Serena…"

Both he and C.J. stood there in shock as dripping with diamonds, the socialite who had once wished her father dead and then had seen it come true approached them.

Serena


	2. Chapter 2

Matt blinked his eyes when he saw Serena standing there next to Hans. She appeared to assess him coolly dressed in her striped suit and wearing her hair back with a scarf. He felt her scrutinize him but he just smiled back.

"Hi Serena…didn't imagine I'd run into you again."

She tossed her head back slightly.

"Oh Matlock, always with the lines…I would think you were trying to avoid me."

He sighed.

"You know why it's been that way Serena," he said, "You might be beautiful but it's only skin deep."

Her face twisted into a pout.

"Oh mi amore…it could have been so beautiful between us…so perfect…but you had to spoil it by going all sentimental over those video tapes my father left."

Matt tried to hold onto his patience. C.J. could read it on his face.

"Serena, your father was blackmailing innocent women who didn't deserve it," he said, "and drove a man to kill him for revenge."

She shrugged back at him.

"Well, nobody's perfect Matlock…and neither are you…I've been keeping up with what you've been doing since we last said goodbye. Two engagements, a trail of dead lovers and a busted engagement…"

Serena cast a scornful glance towards C.J.

"And your assistant here…she's been arrested and in jail…not long after she hooked up with a murderer."

C.J. just folded her arms and said nothing. Hans looked back and forth between his boss and the couple.

"Do you all know each other?"

Serena gave him a biting look before smiling again.

"He and I used to be…close. Did he tell you he was getting engaged?"

Hans nodded and Serena's forehead lined as she appeared to digest that news.

"Why yes…that's why I told you they were here to look at some of our rings."

Serena frowned.

"Mi amore…I thought you just broke off an engagement not long ago…"

Matt ran a hand through his hair, not believing how this operation was unfolding. He certainly hadn't expected to find out that the woman who had bought Stu's flower shop, the one who might have turned it into an illegal operation was the same woman who had been suspected of murdering her father two years earlier.

Sure, she'd been innocent of that violent crime but only technically, because he knew that if one of his closest friends hadn't done the deed that Serena would have gotten the job done eventually probably driving a stake in her father's wicked heart.

How could it be any other way? After all, she was her father's daughter as she admitted the last time he'd seen her.

"I did but then I changed my mind once I found myself the right woman."

Serena pursed her lips, clearly not believing him.

"So where is this woman and why are you bringing…your…your assistant along with you to my shop?"

C.J. just blew a tendril of hair out of her face.

"Serena…I know this might come as a shock to you but Houston and I…we're shopping for engagement rings."

A sound of glass crashing on the floor interrupted the silence that followed C.J.'s announcement. Then Serena's mouth opened widely and quivered just slightly.

"That…that can't be….Oh Matlock, she's but a commoner…she has no business marrying into a royal family."

"Serena…I don't come from royalty," he said, "and she's the only woman I'll ever want to wear any ring."

C.J. smiled over at Matt, stroking his arm.

"That's so sweet Houston," she said, "Now Serena, I'm sure you can put any personal animosity you have towards us commoners and show us what we asked for which is your exquisite engagement rings."

She hoped that Serena's business acumen driven by greed would push her into signing off on the purchase. Once she did that, they'd leave and then call in Hoyt and his forces to shut the place down.

But Serena wasn't playing.

"I…I can't do that…not until I convince mi amore of the horrible mistake that he's making," she said, "It should have been me wearing his ring."

Matt shook his head.

"Come on Serena, you know it'd never work out between us," he said, "The only ring you'd be interested in me wearing is through my nose."

She looked at him, miffed.

"Oh how could you say such a thing? I did love you once…until you walked away from me that day."

C.J. just couldn't believe the gall of the spoiled socialite in front of her.

"What part of Houston and me being engaged do you not understand," she said, "Now we picked up our ring and we've got the cash to pay for it."

Matt nodded, slipping his arm around C.J.

"Serena, we were never going to wind up at the altar," he said, "so why don't you accept that and help me make my lady here happy?"

The heiress looked at him like she wanted to kill him. Her lip snarled and her eyes flashed dangerously. Matt looked around to see if there was anything breakable within her reach. So did Hans who began hastily moving some crystal vases away from her.

"No Matlock…I cannot…I can't have this in my shop," she said, "not until you tell me this is a tacky stunt that she planned to rope you into her bed."

Matt's mouth curved into a smile and C.J. winked at him.

"Look, I guess you might not have gotten acquainted with him enough to know but how do you know he doesn't like being tied up?"

Matt's eyes widened slightly but C.J. just shook her head slightly at him and he turned his attention towards Serena who looked a bit shocked.

"I…this is just so blasphemous."

C.J. sighed, rubbing Matt's arm again.

"Yes that might be so in your mind but we still came here to buy me an engagement ring and we'd appreciate it if you'd sell it to us."

Hans chimed in.

"They want the really classy one," he said, "accentuated by the emeralds."

Serena shot him a look.

"They can't have that one…it's special."

Matt smiled widely.

"I know that Serena," he said, "but C.J. deserves only the best and the most special ring and we've found it."

That made her look even more unhappy, and he wondered if another one of her infamous tantrums was about to appear.

"I don't believe you Matlock," he said, "The man I know would never get engaged to her."

C.J. just met Serena's latest challenge with a smile.

"The man I know would in a heartbeat once he figured out what he really wanted."

Matt glanced at her and then cleared his voice.

"Now if we could just buy that nice ring, we'll get out of your hair."

Serena pointed one of her index fingers at him.

"I still don't believe it…you must be crazy….loco…"

She threw up her hands then as if to emphasize what she knew to be true. That Matt must have taken total leave of his senses to wind up with his assistant of all women

"That's not being crazy," Matt said, "That's called being in love."

* * *

><p>Hoyt came up to Roy who sat in his car across the street monitoring the wiretap. He handed Roy some coffee.<p>

"So how long have they been inside there?"

Roy looked at his watch.

"About an hour…when it turned out Serena owned the store that complicated the operation."

Hoyt looked puzzled.

"Serena…who's Serena…?"

Roy sipped his coffee.

"An ex-girlfriend of Matlock's, though I'm not sure he'd consider her as such. They didn't part on such great terms."

"So she bought the flower shop?"

Roy nodded.

"Appears so though I still think there's someone else in the wings running the actual jewel smuggling ring…someone connected to her."

"Maybe a current lover or boyfriend," Hoyt suggested, "but how much longer is this going to last?"

"Don't know but I've got to head back and get ready to pick up Shirley for dinner…you got plans tonight?"

Hoyt grimaced.

"I have to put in a late night, but my wife's used to it…so we're going to do brunch tomorrow. So what about lover boy inside the flower shop?"

Roy shook his head.

"Said he's having a quiet night watching the ball game at home…"

Hoyt chuckled.

"You sound like you don't believe him."

Roy's mouth quirked.

"I think there's more going on than he's saying but I don't pry in my nephew's affairs."

"He wouldn't be the first guy to sit Valentine's Day out and lay low for the holiday."

Roy looked back at the flower shop.

"You might be right but at any rate he's in good spirits and that's what counts," he said, "I want him to be happy."

Hoyt shrugged.

"Seems it to me particularly in the past few weeks," he said, "but he's been working hard too."

Roy nodded.

"He's thinking about heading out to Hawaii for a vacation," he said, "Long overdue in my view."

Hoyt couldn't disagree with that.

"Great food, entertainment and lots of women…enough to keep a man like him busy and happy."

Roy listened to Hoyt's words as his eyes returned towards focusing on the flower shop.

* * *

><p>Matt looked up at Serena, just wishing she'd remove that chip off her shoulder and hand over the signed sales slip for the diamond ring. But she just stared at him in disbelief not buying that he'd gotten engaged to C.J.<p>

"Tell me how you two got together."

Matt glanced at C.J. who bit her lip.

"It was on New Year's Eve…."

C.J. nodded quickly.

"Yes…well you know about the plane that nearly crashed at LAX? Houston and his uncle were on that plane."

Serena's eyes widened slightly despite herself.

"Really…do continue…"

Matt took a deep breath.

"The plane didn't crash of course, we just had to jump down the slides and eventually they let us head on home. C.J. and I had a party to go to…at Clover's club."

Serena nodded.

"Ah yes…I nearly showed up myself but I had a prior obligation with one of my father's wineries."

"Well we were at the party and eating some of the great spread that Clover always puts out, listening to the music and then we just started dancing…so grateful to be together and at midnight…"

Serena's face twisted with disgust.

"Don't tell me you…she…"

Matt and C.J. glanced at one another and smiled.

"Well you wanted to know how we got together," he said, "and now that we told you, go get us that sales slip."

"No…."

C.J. folded her arms.

"Oh just give it up Serena," she said, "Just sell us your nice beautiful ring and we'll be more than happy to walk on out of here."

Hans just wrinkled his forehead totally confused at this point. Why wouldn't his boss make such a lucrative sale? It wasn't only the most beautiful ring but if they jacked up the price a bit, it could be the most lucrative sale on the most romantic day of the year.

"Come on Serena…the commission alone…"

She silenced her employee with a scathing look.

"I will not…besides Harlan hasn't yet returned from picking up the shipment from the airport."

Matt furrowed his brow.

"You mean you've got more diamond rings," he said, "Maybe my fiancée and I will wait until…Harlan arrives with them so we can decide if there's one we'll like better."

C.J. watched him and realized that perhaps without intending to do so, Serena had just given some information away. Matt clearly planned to take advantage of it.

"Well he'll be arriving soon and that will give you some time to come to your senses about…her."

Serena gave them one look and then stomped out of the room. Hans shrugged and then followed his boss.

Matt and C.J. glanced at each other and nearly laughed.

"Do you think she'll ever sell us anything," C.J. asked.

"Don't know…she just doesn't seem to believe we could ever get together."

C.J. paused.

"You can't blame her," she said, "I think she always believed you'd wind up with her or someone like her."

Matt's eyes narrowed.

"Do you believe that?"

C.J. rubbed her arms.

"I don't know…maybe I did for a long time," she said, "but it's my fault for not knowing you better."

"There might have been a time when you'd be right," he said, "most of the time actually."

She looked down at her hands.

"Still I teased you quite a bit."

"Yes you did…but you can make it up to me later."

She playfully slapped him on the arm as Serena and Hans returned to the room to look at both of them but they weren't alone this time.

A tall man loomed ahead of them dressed in an impeccable suit. C.J. just couldn't believe who she was looking at, mainly because he was supposed to be locked up in a federal prison somewhere.

"Jonathan Renfield?"

The man who bore little resemblance to the Charlie Chaplin look alike who had tried to get her and her sorority sisters bumped off. But the glimmer in his eye made it clear who he was once she shook off her disbelief.

Matt looked amazed too.

"What are you doing here," he said, "You're supposed to be in prison."

Jonathon shrugged.

"It got boring being locked up," he said, "I missed the fresh air so I paid off a judge and got a get out of early card."

Matt and C.J. looked at each other, still wondering how he pulled that off.

"Aunt Liz helped me," he said, "We're no longer engaged but she's living it up in Bali even as we speak and engaged to a cabana boy."

C.J. rolled her eyes. Figured, she had felt so betrayed when she found out the sorority house mother had paid hit men to kill her and the others off. Aunt Liz had always been if not like a mother, more like an older sister who had patiently listened to all of their problems and had offered sage advice. But then people could change…she'd and Matt had learned that the hard way whenever one of their friends morphed into a cold blooded killer without sharing that information.

"So what's your plan Jonathan," Matt asked, "Why are you all of a sudden in the jewelry business with Serena?"

The former comedy club owner smiled again at them and then he reached into his waistband to pull out a handgun.

"I'm here to finish the business deal by killing you of course," he said, "Serena's a beautiful and wealthy woman but not that bright."

A thought hit Matt suddenly.

"You're not…"

Serena flashed her eyes at him.

"Of course not…I would never marry him…he's a commoner not royalty like us. We're just business partners."

Okay that was settled, Matt thought but if Jonathan thought he was going to kill them and spoil their Valentine's Day, he had another thing coming. Now if he just had a plan…

C.J. folded her arms.

"Jonathan, you're not going to shoot me before I get my engagement ring on my finger," she said, "Surely you can understand the importance of wedding tradition having been to the altar so many times yourself."

Jonathan grinned wider.

"Ah but your engagement is totally bogus whereas my marriages were very real…."

Matt flashed a look of disgust.

"Right up to the moment you murdered those innocent ladies."

Jonathan shrugged.

"I gave them happiness; romance and great sex," he said, "Besides none of them ever knew what hit them."

Serena gave him a warning glance.

"Let me handle this darling," she said, "I never really believed for a moment they were really engaged. That's why I was…interrogating them."

Jonathan smirked, gripping his gun tightly.

"Don't be too sure," he said, "When he finally caught up to me, he beat me up right in front of the police who did nothing while I was totally defenseless."

Serena chuckled.

"I'm sure it only improved your looks…now that we know they're totally faux couple, what do we do?"

Jonathan sighed.

"I say we get out of the flower business, grab the gems and then start one of those accidental electrical fires so we can at least collect on the insurance."

Serena's eyes lit up.

"Sounds perfect darling," she said, "We can be on my jet to my favorite villa in Brazil so no one can find us."

"Does it have an airstrip nearby?"

"Of course…nothing but the best for my father's daughter."

Matt spoke up.

"You can't be serious Serena…you'd resort to cold blooded murder just to go into business with this conman?"

Serena nodded.

"Of course, it's not like it's the first time…unless you think you were right about who killed my father."

Matt's eyes widened. He'd been so sure it'd been his lifelong buddy who'd done it to protect his adopted daughter whose father had tried to kill Matt. But then that had been one of the messier cases earlier in his career.

"You killed…"

Merriment filled her eyes as she looked at him.

"Maybe….maybe not…I'm not going to say….unless you leave her and come with us…Jonathan's just a source of amusement mi amore. You're the one I want."

C.J. just sighed.

"Oh great…this is turning out to be quite…convoluted."

Matt shook his head at Serena and put his arm around C.J.'s waist.

"No, I'm in love with someone else, and I'd rather die with her right here than live with you…so if you're going to roast us as part of your insurance fraud plot, you best get it done."

Serena looked at him uncertainly then, clearly not anticipating his attitude. If she didn't know for sure whether or not he'd join her, she did know he didn't harbor a death wish.

"Oh Houston….," C.J. said, slipping her arm around him, "how sweet and romantic, I guess. Yes, if you're going to kill us, just do it."

Jonathan's smile faded as he seemed perplexed that he had a victim who appeared to be cooperative.

"Okay then…let's get this started then."

He reached to grab C.J. and Matt flinched but had to stop himself from reacting because he knew that Jonathan anticipated that he'd try something.

But he didn't have to wait long because he'd been the one who had coached C.J. in martial arts including kickboxing from the time she came to him and told him that after an attempted mugging, she'd wanted to learn to protect herself.

Jonathan didn't know that and when she suddenly twisted in his grasp, turned around and then smacked his face with her head, his eyes started to roll in the back of his head. C.J. pushed him to the ground and then when he tried to pull her down with him, she reached to grab his arms to pin him to the ground. Serena looked around frantically for something hard to throw and then she decided to flee instead. But Matt anticipated and before she could reach the back door, he grabbed her around the waist and held her fast.

C.J. and Jonathan struggled on the ground because he didn't have enough sense to give into a more skilled fighter. Plus he'd gone a bit soft while locked up in prison while she kept her body fit and her skills honed. But they rolled across the floor smashing into flowery displays which rained down petals all around them. Heart shaped bouquets broke, falling onto the floor and a fountain of Cupid shooting water out of his bow toppled dangerously.

Suddenly, the doors opened and in rushed armed police officers with Hoyt behind them issuing orders to secure the facility. C.J. managed to knock Jonathan out cold just in time before they picked him up and hauled him away in handcuffs.

Serena shook herself away from Matt and began brushing off her suit.

"I'm such a mess…officers really this is all one big understanding."

Hoyt shot her a look.

"I heard all about you Serena…and just so you know, we're reopening the murder investigation involving your father just to make sure we got it right."

Her mouth opened widely and she started swearing a blue streak, threatening revenge on everyone in the room.

Matt and C.J. just watched as they hauled her off and Roy walked up to them. Matt slapped his uncle on the back.

"Thanks for the push."

Roy just shrugged.

"We figured you had it all handled but we all had places we had to be for Valentine's Day."

Matt glanced over at C.J. who stooped to pick up some of the flowers, orange roses with babies' breath wrapped around him which were her favorite.

"Yeah I was thinking that if I'm going to catch that ball game, I'd better get going."

Roy just looked bemused.

"You have a great time," he said, "Will you be in tomorrow?"

Matt smiled, straightening his jacket.

"Actually no…I'll be back on Monday morning…got some plans this weekend."

C.J. put her flowers in a plastic holder.

"Yeah me too…."

Roy smiled more broadly.

"Then you two have fun…"

They both looked at him as he walked out of the shop and then they joined hands.

* * *

><p>C.J. lay on the silken comforter on top of the king sized bed which was somewhat more rumpled than when they had arrived in their suite at the Hotel Del Coronado an hour earlier. Matt joined her after pouring them both some champagne while they both watched the rain sprinkle droplets on the glass French doors leading out to the patio.<p>

She sat up on the bed, her royal silk robe around her and took her glass from Matt and they clinked them before taking a sip.

After she licked her lips, she looked at him.

"Houston…do you think they know?"

"About us…?"

She nodded.

"I think they know something's up, something's changed but that we've been together since New Year's Eve night…probably not."

She sighed.

"It's not that I don't want anyone to know, I just wanted to keep this to ourselves for a little while."

Matt understood what she meant by that. Their lives were constantly under a microscope by the social columnists and other media outlets. What they shared together would always belong to them but quiet moments like these were for now, treasured.

She smiled at him, her face lit up by the candles lit up around them.

"That first night…was so special…it's like it was always meant to be…"

His lips quirked mischievously.

"Who tore off each other's clothes first once we hit my place, I don't remember," he said, "but I'll never forget that night."

Her skin flushed then and not from the champagne. She started to look away and he reached with his finger to tilt it back towards him.

"We're going to figure this all out somehow," he said, "in the meantime…"

That's when his mouth moved in towards hers for the kiss, the one that started softly and then grew more sweetly intense as they forgot about everything else except how good it felt to be together after staying apart for too long.


End file.
